To the west of Dublin, the inland county of Kildare is a county of open grasslands, green pastures and ancient bogland.

County Kildare is famous as a sporting, racing and hunting region with racing at the Punchestown and Naas taking place all year round with big meetings which include the Irish Derby in June. The Irish National Stud and neighbouring Japanese Gardens are attractions well worth visiting and were founded at the turn of the last century by Colonel Hall Walker of Johnnie Walker whiskey.

County Kildare is ancient countryside, marked by a string of Celtic crosses at Moone, Old Kilcullen and Castledermot.

Castletown House has a model village at Celbridge with the Grand Canal, which traverses the county with a walkable towpath.

Naas is County Kildare's cosmopolitan county town and was previously the seat of the Kings of Leinster, and lies on the main road between Dublin and Limerick. Naas is famous for its horse racing, but also has attractions like motor racing, golf. It is one of the fastest growing towns in Europe, and has over 30 pubs on the main street!

Places of interest:

Castletown House - anglo-irish buidling
Kildare town and the Curragh
Bog of Allen
Curragh and the National Stud
Larchill Arcadian Gardens
Straffan Steam Museum (near Castletown) and Butterfly Farm